HEADPHONES CONTINUED

AKG N40 £249

£200 to

Best in-ears £300+, Awards 2018

£500

These sound great, but you’ll need a decent portable DAC and hi-res
tracks to make the most of them, so they’re not for the casual user.
In-line controls No Cable length 1.2m

Shure KSE1500 £2549

£500 and

November 2016
above

At this price they won’t be for everyone, but they are the finest in-ears
we’ve heard and arguably one of the best headphones money can buy.
In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m

Koss Porta Pro £49

August 2018
Headphones that stretch all the way back to 1984, these deliver decent
punch and detail and, most of all, they’re a lot of fun to listen to.
Type Open Connection 3.5/6.3mm Weight 60g
On-ears up to £100

AKG Y50 £75

Best portable on-ears under £100, Awards 2018
Our Product of the Year cans for 2015 are portable on-ears, and deliver a
rhythmic, clear, detailed, dynamic sound. At this price they’re amazing.
Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 190g

Grado SR80e £99

Best home on-ears under £100, Awards 2018
These Grados aren’t the most relaxing listen, but the excellent
treble and midrange make for an exceptional performer.
Type Open Connection 3.5/6.3mm Weight 210g

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 £199

£100 to

Best portable on-ears £100+, Awards 2018

£200

We love the design, but it’s more than just pretty – these Momentums
are comfortable on your ears and fold away neatly when not in use.
Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 240g

Grado SR325e £299

£200 to

Best home on-ears £100-£400, Awards 2018

£500

If you don’t mind the amount of sound leaking from them, you’re free
to enjoy the fluid dynamics and wonderfully musical presentation.
Type Open Connection 3.5mm/6.5mm Weight 330g

114 www.whathifi.com
 HEADPHONES CONTINUED
Beyerdynamic Amiron £478

£200 to
Best home on-ears £400+, Awards 2018

£500
Beyerdynamic has produced a pair of headphones that sound as good
as they feel. Be careful though; their open-backed nature leaks sound.
Type Open Connection 3.5mm/6.3mm Weight 340g

Audio Technica ATH-W1000Z £530

March 2017
The 11th version of the W1000z opts for evolution over revolution and

£500 to £1000
with a spacious sound that packs power and punch, it’s a good choice.
Type Closed Connection 6.3mm Weight 320g

B&W P9 Signature £699

December 2016
They’re not cheap but there’s no doubt these are talented cans. A retro
look, stunning sound and a comfy fit make these worth their price.
Type Closed Connection 6.3mm/Lightning in 2017 Weight 413g

Sennheiser HD800S £1399

June 2016
If the price invites doubts, rest assured the performance is absolutely
worth it, provided your source and amplification are up to the job.
Type Open Connection 6.3mm Weight 330g

Sony MDR-Z1R £1650

April 2017
The finest closed-back headphones we have heard. Feed them

£1000 and above

with quality electronics and there is no doubt the Z1Rs will shine.
Type Closed Connection 3.5mm/6.3mm Weight 385g

Sennheiser HD820 £1999

October 2018
Probably the best-sounding closed-back headphones we’ve heard.
They have lots of detail, plenty of punch and a strong bass performance.
Type Closed Connection 4.4mm/6.3mm/XLR4 Weight 360g

Focal Utopia £3499

June 2017
With these cans Focal has aimed for the moon and reached it,
delivering one of the finest pairs of headphones we’ve heard.
Type Open Connection 6.3mm Weight 490g

Beyerdynamic Byron BT £59

Best wireless in-ears under £100, Awards 2018
These affordable Bluetooth in-ears retain much of the sonic
charm and detail of their Award-winning wired siblings.
Controls Yes Battery 7.5 hours

AKG Y500 Wireless £129

up to £200
Wireless

Reviewed online, 2018

This second-generation wireless on-ear is robustly made and nicely finished.
Sonically, they’re nicely balanced and as refined as they come.
Folding Yes Battery 33 hours

Sony WF-1000X £145

Best wireless in-ears £100+, Awards 2018
In terms of ‘proper’ wireless in-ears, these Sonys are the best example
we’ve had the pleasure of testing so far. They’re genuinely fantastic.
Controls Yes Battery 9 hours

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 HEADPHONES CONTINUED
NEW
Grado GW100 £169 ENTRY
December 2019
Grado’s first pair of wireless headphones are truly excellent. They won’t be
for everyone, but for sound there’s not much to beat them.
Controls No Battery 15 hours

NEW
Jaybird Vista £195 ENTRY
December 2019
Ideal for runners, the fit is the best we’ve yet tested. These are a
front-runner in the niche, true wireless sport category.
Controls Yes Battery 16 hours
Wireless up to £200

Sennheiser Momentum M2 IE Free £170

Reviewed online, 2018
These wireless in-ears continue the Momentum range’s fine
reputation by delivering a comfortable sound packed with insight.
Controls Yes Battery 6 hours

Bose SoundSport Free £179

Reviewed online, 2018
While not totally glitch-free in terms of connection, the
SoundSport Frees still produce an even and enjoyable sound.
Controls Yes Battery 5 hours

AKG N60 NC Wireless £195

Best wireless headphones under £300, Awards 2018
They’ve lost the cable, but the N60s retain the superb character of their
wired equivalents. These are a great pair of portable noise-cancellers.
Folding Yes Battery 15 hours Noise-cancelling Yes

B&W P5 Wireless £229

Awards 2016
All the characteristics of the P5 Series 2 without the wire. The Bluetooth
connection works well and the sound is as good as the Series 2.
Folding Yes Battery 17 hours

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless £280

April 2019
An impressive True Wireless debut by Sennheiser. The design is classy, they
boast some useful features, battery life is good and so too is sound quality.
Controls Yes Battery 4 hours (plus an extra 8 from charging case)
£200 and above

Bose QuietComfort 35 II £329

January 2017
The second-gen QuietComforts benefit from being truly
wireless and also from a switch to rechargeable batteries.
Folding Yes Battery 20 hours Noise-cancelling Yes

Sony WH-1000XM3 £330

Best wireless headphones £300+, Awards 2018
You can’t get better than these Sonys when it comes to combining noise
cancelling, sound quality and comfort. Our favourite headphones this year.
Folding Yes Battery 30 hours Noise-cancelling Yes

B&W PX £330
Best wireless headphones £300+, Awards 2017
The PXs are a fantastic package, boasting excellent sound
quality, successful noise-cancelling and a smart design.
Folding Yes Battery 22 hours Noise-cancelling Yes

116 www.whathifi.com
 BUYER’S GUIDE

BEST
BUYS
ACCESSORIES
The only products
ANALOGUE INTERCONNECTS
worth considering DON’T SKIMP ON CABLES: THEY’RE View offers
whf.cm/BBAudioCables
A TOP-VALUE UPGRADE

Chord Company C-Line £40/m

Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2018
Few entry-level interconnects at the price come close to offering
the sonic enjoyment that Chord has produced with this cable.
Up to £50

Balanced/Single-ended Single

QED Performance Audio 40 £40/m

Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2017
Few rival interconnects are as good as this QED when it comes to detail
resolution and precision. It’s nicely made too.
Balanced/Single-ended Single

Chord Clearway Analogue RCA £90/m

£50 and

Best analogue interconnect £50+, Awards 2018

above

If you’re spending cash on hi-fi components and you want cabling

that doesn’t inhibit performance, the Clearway may be the ideal pick.
Balanced/Single-ended Single

AV & HI-FI RACKS

View offers
HI-FI KIT CAN ONLY SOUND ITS BEST WITH THE PROPER SUPPORT whf.cm/BBAVHifiRacks

Atacama Apollo Storm 6 £390 “Want to give your

February 2018 system adequate
Another class-leading support from Atacama that’s cheaper than support for a decent
its Award-winning sibling. It lets your kit perform at its best. price? Atacama has
Up to £500

you covered”
Width 590mm Modular Yes Cable management No

Hi-Fi Racks Omnium8 £478

Reviewed online, 2018 “As configurable an
Hi-Fi Racks has made the Ominium8 about as flexible as possible. You equipment rack as
can specify everything from finish to shelf spacing and upright shape. we’ve come across”
Width 57cm Modular Yes Cable management Yes

Atacama Elite Eco 12.0 £598 “We were impressed

March 2013 by how our system
Those looking for a strong support for AV and hi-fi that enables a fluid, performed when
£500 and above

authoritative presentation will like the performance this rack can offer. using this rack”
Width 1157mm Modular Yes Cable management Yes

Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 SE £600 “If you’re of the

Best equipment rack, Awards 2018 opinion all hi-fi racks
The SE stands for Special Edition, while significant improvements in are created more
the Eco 60-40’s design and dampening mean it works better than ever. or less equal,
think again”
Width 600mm Modular Yes Cable management No

120 www.whathifi.com
 PHONO STAGES CONTINUED
Musical Fidelity MX-VYNL £649

£500 to
£1000
May 2018
A superbly made unit, that’s nice to use and, most importantly,
sounds lovely. As good a phono stage as we’ve heard at this price.
Type MM, MC Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 22 x 22cm

Pathos In The Groove £1299

February 2017
Provided you have a suitably talented turntable, this is a fine and flexible
phono stage that beautifully combines refinement with insight.
Type MM, MC Dimensions (hwd) 7 x 20 x 26cm

£1000 and above

Cyrus Phono Signature/PSX-R2 £2290
May 2016
Partnered with the PSX-R2 power supply and a suitably talented
turntable, the Signature sounds great. It’s a top-class phono stage.
Type MM, MC Dimensions (hwd) 7 x 22 x 36cm

Burmester 100 Phono £8840

March 2018
One of the finest phono stages available, the 100 is an understated,
but brilliant performer that has a fluid and dynamic presentation.
Type MM, MC Dimensions (hwd) 10 x 48 x 35cm

SPEAKER CABLES
View offers
ONE OF THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE UPGRADES YOU CAN MAKE whf.cm/BBSpeakerCables

Chord Company C-Screen £5/m

June 2018
The C-Screen possesses the fantastic ability to mirror a system’s punch
and drive. What it does, it does better than anything else at the price.
Single or Bi-wire Single

QED XT25 £6/m

Up to £10/m
May 2018
Features the same characteristics as the more expensive XT40,
displaying the kind of transparency that’s difficult for its rivals to match.
Single or Bi-wire Single

Atlas Equator 2.0 (2018) £7.25/m

Reviewed online, 2018
A nicely built speaker cable that promotes a wonderfully clean and detailed
delivery – it’s an affordable and easy way to spruce up your system.
Single or Bi-wire Single

Chord Company Clearway £10/m

Best speaker cable, Awards 2017
Not the flashiest cable, its strength is aiding dynamics and musicality,
£10/m and above

as well as knitting instruments together for an enjoyable experience.

Single or Bi-wire Single

QED XT40 £10/m

Awards 2014
Facilitates a detailed, balanced and authoritative sound with a
full-bodied presentation that leaves competitors sounding lean.
Single or Bi-wire Single

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 SPEAKER CABLES CONTINUED
AudioQuest Rocket 11 £12.50/m
Best speaker cable, Awards 2018
If you’re looking for a flexible and transparent speaker cable, this is a
£10/m and above

great option for the price. It works well with a wide range of systems, too.
Single or Bi-wire Both

Chord Company RumourX £18/m

June 2019
With the RumourX plumbed-in, our systems deliver a crisp, clean, dynamic
presentation. We’re impressed at the musically cohesive nature of the sound.
Single or Bi-wire Single

SPEAKER STANDS
View offers
STANDMOUNT SPEAKERS NEED THE BEST SUPPORT YOU CAN GET whf.cm/BBSpeakerStands

Atacama Moseco 6 £120 “The Mosecos may

Best speaker stand, Awards 2018 just be our new
A speaker stand that impresses with how weighty and dynamic it allows favourite affordable
speaker stands”
Speaker stands

systems to sound. Considering the price, it’s something of a steal.

Height 60cm Fillable Yes Finishes 4 (pole), 3 (base panel)

Q Acoustics 20 speaker stands £200 “£200 for a pair

September 2014 of speaker stands?
Designed with QAs’ Concept 20 speakers in mind, the clever construction and When they’re
elegant design ensures other speakers give their best too. this good, we
don’t mind”
Height 66.5cm Fillable No Finishes 2

124 www.whathifi.com